Unit 2 Chapter 2 Psych Vocab

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60 Terms

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Biological Psychology

the scientific study of the links between biological (genetics, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes

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Neuroplasticity

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

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Neuron

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

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Cell Body

the part of a neuron that contains the nucleus; the cell’s life support center

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Dendrites

a neuron’s often bushy, branching extension that receive and integrate messages, conducting impulses toward the cell body

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Axon

the segmented neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands

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Myelin Sheath

a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next

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Glial Cells

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they also play a role in learning, thinking, and memory

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Action Potential

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

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Threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

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Refractory Period

a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired; subsequent action potentials cannot occur until the axon returns to its resting state

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All-Or-None Response

a neuron’s reaction of either firing (with a full-strength response) or not firing

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Synapse

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron; the tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap

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Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gap between neurons; when released by the sending neuron, they travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse

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Reuptake

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron

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Endorphins

“morphine within” --natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure

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Agonist

a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter’s action

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Antagonist

a molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter’s action

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Nervous System

the body’s speedy, electro-chemical communication network, consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

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Central Nervous System (CNS)

the brain and spinal cord

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Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

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Nerves

bundled axons that form neural cables connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sensory organs

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Sensory (Afferent) Neurons

neurons that carry incoming information from the body’s tissues and sensory receptors to the brain and the spinal cord

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Motor (Efferent) Neurons

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands

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Interneurons

neurons within the brain and spinal cord; they communicate internally and process information between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

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Somatic Nervous System

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles; also called the skeletal nervous system

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Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart)

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Sympathetic Nervous System

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy

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Parasympathetic Nervous System

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy

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Reflex

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus

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Endocrine System

the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; glands and fat tissue that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

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Hormones

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream, and affect other tissues

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Adrenal Glands

a pair of endocrine glands that sits just above the kidneys and secretes hormones that help arouse the body in times of stress

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Pituitary Gland

the endocrine system’s most influential gland; under the influence of the hypothalamus, it regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

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Lesion

tissue destruction

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EEG (Electroencephalogram)

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface; these waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp

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MEG (Magnetoencephalography)

a brain-imaging technique that measures magnetic fields from the brain’s natural electrical activity

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PET (Positron Emission Tomography)

a technique for detecting brain activity that displays where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a task

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MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue; shows brain anatomy

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fMRI (Functional MRI)

a technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans; show brain function as well as structure

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Brainstem

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; it is responsible for automatic survival functions

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Medulla

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

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Thalamus

the brain’s sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

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Reticular Formation

a nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus; filters information and plays an important role in controlling arousal

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Cerebellum

the “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory

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Limbic System

neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives

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Amygdala

two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion

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Hypothalamus

a neural structure in the limbic system lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward

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Hippocampus

a neural center located in the limbic system; helps process explicit (conscious) memories–of facts and events–for storage

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Cerebral Cortex

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center

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Frontal Lobes

the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements

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Parietal Lobes

the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position

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Occipital Lobes

the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields

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Temporal Lobes

the portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear

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Motor Cortex

a cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

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Somatosensory Cortex

a cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

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Association Areas

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

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Neurogenesis

the formation of new neurons

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Corpus Callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

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Split Brain

a condition resulting from surgery that separates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers connecting them